Domestic clothes dryers whether utilizing gas or electricity for drying have traditionally utilized a rotating metallic drum journaled in suitable bearings for rotation about a central axis, so as to move the clothes about as the drying air is passing through the damp clothes. It is customary to mount a plurality of baffles on the inside surface of the drum to force the clothes undergoing drying to tumble to improve the efficacy of the drying operation. The baffles used in prior art dryers have taken on a variety of shapes, sizes and composition. Baffles of wooden construction, metal and at the present time plastic composition are generally favored. The shapes of the baffles have varied as greatly as the compositions of the baffles. It is not unusual to have upright baffles of uniform height which extend across the width of the drum. Other designs have provided baffles of varying height across the width of the drum and the baffle may be curved to force the clothes to tumble in a prescribed fashion within the drum.
One feature that all prior art baffles had in common was the method of attachment to the drum, and in all cases the prior art baffles were secured to the drum with screws from the exterior of the drum. This method of fastening, while reasonably fast and positive, requires assembly of baffles and drum before the final assembly of the dryer cabinet is completed.
During the manufacture of the drum, a baffle is inserted into a "jig" and the drum and jig are brought together so that the baffle is held in a predetermined place on the inside surface of the drum where it may be suitably mounted and fasteners such as screws or bolts and nuts are passed through suitable holes in the drum into holes or recesses in the baffle and tightened to firmly hold the baffle in place. Generally three fasteners are sufficient to hold a single baffle in place. The process is repeated for the balance of the baffles to be installed in the drum, which in most dryer drums will include two additional baffles.
The baffle of the present design is made from a suitable plastic material and is to a great extent hollow. The mounting surface of the baffle is provided with a pair of tongues which protrude in a forward direction which is generally perpendicular to the clothes engaging front surface of the baffle, whilst being integrally fastened to and protruding from the lower surface of the baffle (which subsequently mates with the drum).
Similarly the rear surface of the baffle is provided with a pair of "hooked" projections which extend below the mating surface of the rear surface of the baffle so as to engage and hook into a pair of cooperating recesses in the drum.
This baffle is manufactured so that the two protruding tongues on the forward leading edge of the baffle are inserted into two cooperating apertures in the drum and when suitable penetration has occurred the baffle is pivoted at the line of intersection of the two tongues to bring the rearward surface of the baffle into contact with the drum such that the pair of "hooked" projections are inserted into two mating apertures in the drum until the hooks engage the exterior surface of the drum to positively lock the baffle in place.
This method of construction means that baffles do not need to be inserted in the drum during manufacture, and may be installed by the manufacturer, dealer or even a customer. In the event that a baffle is broken during use it is easily replaced without dismantling the dryer.